THESE ARE DIFFICULT times. Your conference may follow on the heels of a merger, downsizing, a less than favorable economic forecast, or, worse yet, a failed drug or medical device. We see attendee attention spans waning and attendees wiggling in their seats unless they are belly laughing, deeply entertained, or mesmerized by new concepts that can help them grow in their jobs and personal life. So whom can you book for your next meeting? These are the speakers — already booked by healthcare organizations — who will be making waves in the pharmaceutical industry in 2004.

Passing Zone

We have all seen jugglers who juggle rings, bowling pins, and dishes. But have you seen the jugglers who juggle your CEO or top-performing rep? Can you imagine him or her dangling from a bungee cord on stage? Yes, the dynamic duo, Passing Zone, juggles people. Add to this a few chain saws (they are full throttle!) being tossed around in the air, all while your attendees are experiencing a living metaphor of juggling career, home, and unending expectations.

Steve Bridges

The son of a Baptist preacher, Steve Bridges was all set to follow in his father's footsteps. Instead, he became President of the United States. Well, sort of. Bridges is a master impressionist who has developed an amazingly accurate characterization of George W. Bush. Bridges has been tearing up the convention circuit as a “surprise speaker” who is preceded on stage by “secret service agents” while “Hail to the Chief” plays. He is also a terrific emcee and awards host.

Robert Stevenson

You get a clue about the man from the title of his book, How to Soar Like an Eagle in a World Full of Turkeys. Stevenson is one of the great new storytellers on the circuit whose stories are original. Attendees laugh while absorbing important messages about change, leadership, peak performance, and communication. He is not yet that well-known on the medical circuit, but, according to some of your colleagues, watch out!

Michael Treacy

Corporate growth strategies are extremely important to pharma companies in the various stages of drug discovery. That's why Treacy's book, Double Digit Growth, is hitting the mark. When it had been out for only three weeks, it was already No. 9 on The Wall Street Journal's bestseller list. If you've been turned down by the highly sought-after Jim Collins, author of Good to Great (Collins only accepts a small handful of dates per year), Treacy is your man. In an entertaining yet sophisticated way, he shares the secrets of America's top corporate achievers through ani-mated first-hand accounts of being in the trenches and learning from American corporate icons.

Kevin & Jackie Freiberg

A recurrent theme among planners is that there are not enough women on the professional speakers circuit. Not only are there too few women, but there are even fewer husband and wife teams and this pair is really good! The Freibergs' newest program is their most fun yet. It is based on their latest book, Got Guts? Go Nuts! — an exploration of how Southwest Airlines has transformed passion and gutsy leadership into high levels of performance and profits.

Erik Wahl

The “Art of Vision” is the perfect way to sum up this interactive program of inspirational performance art. Wahl is new to the speakers circuit, but he is no longer a secret. His program opens with a dramatic interpretation of vision and creativity as he quickly paints large, impressive canvases onstage. Audiences are out of their seats as the canvases are completed, and the excitement is heightened as Wahl uses the artwork to inspire audiences to expand their own perceptions in an effort to build a strategic vision. Wahl challenges everyone to identify a personal style for motivating themselves to rethink vision and purpose.

To watch a video demo on any of these speakers, log on to www.speakinc.com.

Ruth Levine, founder of Speak Inc., an international speakers bureau based in San Diego, works with pharma firms and medical associations. Contact her at (858) 457-9880 or rlevine@speakinc.com.